Cheesy scalloped potatoes

I just have to have easy recipe options. I have to. I spend 35% of my day sleeping, another 35% of my day in a cubicle, and the last 30% is filled with laundry, cleaning, making lunches, packing lunches, and dancing around my apartment when Tim's not around.

A girl's gotta' dance, right, ladies?

And then there's the whole Monday debacle. You know how I feel about this day. Typically, I pull out my most effortless recipes on Mondays and Fridays, the two days that I feel are void and meaningless. Actually, they're quite busy and fulfilling, but still, I wish they didn't exist.

This recipe is extremely versatile, and while there are a million different ways to make scalloped potatoes, I find this to be quick, effortless, and it can be made in a crock pot.

I think the angels just busted out in song.

So happy Monday, everyone. Or, for those of you who look on the bright side like me (not), happy sucky no-funday.

Let's just get through today, okay, kids?

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. bag of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• Garlic salt, salt and pepper
• 5 medium potatoes
• I use red potatoes, which tend to run small, so sometimes I use 6.
• 1/3 cup diced onions

Directions:

• Peel and slice potatoes 
• Make sure the potatoes aren't sliced too thick, because that can add a lof of extra cooking time
• Boil a pot of water and add the potato slices. Let them sit in the water for about 10 minutes (no longer than 15)
• By softening the potato slices, it minimizes cooking time
• While the potatoes are softening, melt the butter over low heat
• Add the chopped onions and let them simmer over low heat for a few minutes
• Add the milk and flour
• Stir with a whisk until all the chunks of flour are broken down
• Add the cheese and turn the heat up to medium. Let it melt gradually, which could take about 10 minutes.
• Add a dash of salt, pepper, and garlic salt
• Drain the potatoes
• Pour half the cheese sauce into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish
• If you plan on using a crock pot, pour the cheese into the bottom of that and continue with instructions.
• Pour all the potato slices on top of the cheese sauce
• Top with the rest of the cheese sauce
• Bake at 350 F for about an hour
• When using a crock pot, cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. This isn't one of those recipes that you can leave in all day. 

If you're anything like me, you automatically shy away from any recipe that has more than five or six instructions, but once you've done this once, you've mastered it. Like I said, there are so many ways to prepare this side dish, but this particular recipe is very much a "comfort food." My husband told me that it reminded him of macaroni and cheese, just with potatoes.

And that's what I call a success.

Love and comfort,
Rachael

Gooey Chocolate Butter Cookies

So, Rebekkah and I threw a Christmas cookie swap.

And it was awesome.

There were 5 other lovely ladies there who made fantastic cookies, and yes, they did "follow the rules" and make Christmas-themed cookies. I, on the other hand, am rebellious and pushed the limits.
Is there anything Christmas-y about my cookies? No. But man, were they good.

My apologies-I'm bragging. Let's just get on with it. This is so easy. It's easier than any other cookie recipe I've ever tried (literally). It's just a few basic ingredients, and they'll be a huge hit.

Here we go.

Ingredients:

• 1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
• Powdered sugar

Directions:

• Throw the block of softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl.
• Add the stick of butter. Doesn't this have the makings of a healthy, nutritious dessert?)
• Mix it up. A friend of mine at work made these cookies after I brought her some to taste, and she tried to mix it by hand. BIG mistake. Do yourself a favor and use an electric mixer.

 Unless you want guns like this. Ow ow.

• Add an egg
• Add the vanilla 
• Mix it up.
• Add the chocolate cake mix and mix it up. It should come out as a very thick, rich texture. Go ahead and eat a few spoonfuls. I won't tell.
• You'll need to refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes; preferably an hour or two. When it's chilled, it's easier to roll into balls. 
• Once it's been refrigerated, roll them into little balls.
• Pour some powdered sugar into a separate bowl.
• Cover each ball completely
• Put them on a non-stick pan about an inch apart.
• Bake them at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. They are supposed to be gooey, so if they're still soft when you pull them out of the oven, that's a good thing. And the cracked look is how it's supposed to be.

And that's that, folks! Make these...they're insanely good.

Love,

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Good ol' classic spaghetti

I've shunned spaghetti for the past few years of my life.

It's too easy.

Too simple.

Too quick.

Too many leftovers, leaving me less opportunities to cook.

Too easy to please my husband.

Then it occurred to me this afternoon...

...this is freaking genius

Why I haven't cooked this classic in so long is beyond comprehension. And before you judge me for posting something so simple...

...well, I had a middle-aged woman come up to me at church and say that my recipes have saved her marriage. I don't believe her...because that would worry me.

That's way too much pressure for a part-time blogger.

So let's just do this for fun, shall we?

What you'll need:
Ground beef or turkey (1lb)
1 large jar of your choice of spaghetti sauce
Milk (yes, you read that correctly)
Garlic
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Butter (yes, you need butter, too)
1 package of spaghetti noodles
Salt/pepper
Italian seasoning

Throw a little bit of olive oil over medium/high heat and toss the pound of beef/turkey into the pan.

Let's do some seasoning. Add some salt, pepper, and italian seasoning.

Smash it all up with a wooden spoon.

Aren't you loving all these closeups of raw meat?

Now, we of course have to add some garlic. Normally I would say put two or three minced garlic cloves in with the meat; however...

Is that not the largest clove of garlic you've ever seen? I like my veggies on steroids.


Just like my men.

Moving on.

Add the minced garlic and continue to stir it over medium high heat. It should take about 10 minutes to cook thoroughly.

Throw the noodles into boiling water.

Toss the sauce into a pan over medium heat. We're going to do some doctoring.

Throw in a handful of mozzarella.

Add more minced garlic...

...about half a cup of milk.

...and 2 tbsp. of butter.

The reason we do this is to add some creaminess to the sauce. You could just eat the sauce straight up, but I like more of a vodka sauce coloring. Just without the vodka.

Amen.

While the sauce is simmering, check out your meat. Now, obviously mine's done, and if you have anything except super lean meat, you need to drain it. I won't be doing that because I have seriously lean meat and it had virtually no fat.

Well, hardly any.

Drain your noodles.

Pour the sauce in with the meat.

Mmmmmmmm.

Aren't you glad you added in the milk and butter?

Now a tip for any sauce that has meat in it, the longer it can sit on low heat and simmer, the richer it'll taste. That's just the way it is. I let mine sit for about 20 minutes, but I know people who let it sit all day.

If you have that kind of time, God bless you.

Another thing my husband is completely opposed to is combining the meat sauce with the noodles in one pan. He claims it makes the noodles soggy.

So there you are, folks. A funky twist to an old favorite.

Enjoy, all!

Love,
Rachael

25 Perfect Pies for Fall

I didn't become a pie person until a few years ago. I had a weird aversion to fruit in a pie...my mother would scrape it all off, leaving me with only the buttery, flaky crust to eat with my ice cream.

Is it any wonder I was, as you say, a little chunky?

Now that I've "matured" and "grown," I can appreciate a good pie. And as Thanksgiving is fast approaching, I thought I'd send you this article I came across: 25 Perfect Pies for Fall.

Need I say more?

So pick one out and know 'em dead. I know you can do it!

Love,
Rachael